Effective means of handling, storing and transporting contaminated sharp medical waste has become a problem of increasing concern. Sharp medical waste ("sharps") is generally defined as including any contaminated object that can penetrate the skin including, but not limited to needles, scalpels, broken glass, broken capillary tubes and exposed ends of dental wires. If not placed in an appropriate container after use, sharps clearly pose a hazard resulting from their potential to cut or puncture anyone handling them. Moreover, it is also now recognized that the spread of certain virulent diseases may result merely from contact with any type of medical waste.
Typically, sharps are deposited in a primary container, located in a doctor's office or laboratory, immediately after use. The contaminated sharps are stored in the primary container until their ultimate disposal. Containers for holding sharps must meet very specific requirements due to the stringent guidelines imposed by OSHA regarding their handling and storage. For example, the once common practices of recapping, breaking or cutting needles immediately after use to eliminate the sharp point is now prohibited by OSHA, with the exception of very limited circumstances, due to the potential for reuse or accidental puncture. Because the needles are not dismantled, they may also contain residual bodily fluids or medication which can splatter or emit noxious fumes. Consequently, the sharps container must be resistant to puncture by implements contained therein and also resistant to cracking, shattering or leakage. The sharps container should also have a central opening design which prevents removal of the sharps once they are inserted into the container.
Disposal methods for contaminated sharps include autoclaving followed by landfilling, high temperature incineration or other sanitary methods. While some hospitals may have appropriate disposal equipment on site, the majority of doctor's offices and other small health care facilities and laboratories are not equipped to handle the disposal of contaminated sharps. Consequently, it is necessary to send the contaminated sharps to another location for ultimate disposal. Many health care providers utilize the services of a waste hauling company to remove contaminated sharps. However, this type of service tends to be somewhat costly, as well as inconvenient because pick-ups of the contaminated sharps are only scheduled for specific days and times. A more cost effective and convenient option for disposal of sharps is to mail sharps containers to appropriate waste handling facilities.
There are, of course, several drawbacks associated with mailing sharps containers. For example, packages are often subjected to rough handling, temperature and climate changes, and other less-than-desirable conditions during transport through the postal system. Consequently, the mailer must also be constructed of a material which retains its integrity when exposed to temperature changes. The mailer should also protect the container from breakage and any possible content leakage.
Others have attempted to provide suitable containers for safe handling, storage and shipment of sharps. Typically, these containers comprise an inner, leak-resistant sharps container which is placed in a plastic bag for added leak protection. The container and plastic bag are then inserted into an outer corrugated fiberboard box containing a cellulose packing material, generally in the bottom of the box, which provides cushioning and also acts as an absorbent medium. A glue-on lid is often utilized to provide a leak-resistant seal on the sharps container. However, this type of system has not been found to be completely adequate for transport through the mail because the container is not adequately puncture resistant and is merely leak-resistant, not leak-proof.
Another prior art container for handling contaminated sharps is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,031,767 to Bruno. This container includes a sharps container with a corrugated paperboard storage and transport housing, a substantially rigid fiberboard storage container slidably inserted within the housing for receiving and storing the implements, a plastic bag surrounding the storage container and entry formed on the container with a releasably insertable plug. A similar disposable container for handling biohazardous waste material is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,978,028 to George et al. This container comprises a substantially rectangular exterior box having an open top with a closure and an access hole for dropping waste material into the container, a polyethylene liner inserted in the exterior box, an inner box positioned at the base of the exterior box and an insert having an open top and bottom, the exterior box, inner box and insert being constructed of 200 pound C-Flute corrugated cardboard. However, neither the Bruno nor the George et al. containers provide the most efficient protection for mailing sharps. In particular, a single plastic bag is not adequate as a sole means of providing the requisite leak-tightness; nor does a cardboard container used as the primary sharps container provide adequate puncture resistance. In addition, a cardboard container is not see-through and, therefore, does not allow for easy identification of a full container.
Accordingly, the need exists to provide an improved packaging system for handling, storing and transporting contaminated sharp medical waste which virtually eliminates the risk of human contact with sharps from the time they are deposited into a primary sharps container until their ultimate disposal.